Faron Pharmaceuticals Limited (AIM:FARN)'s chief executive Dr Markku Jalkanen has described the latest data from the phase I portion of the BEXMAB study as 'truly remarkable'.
Researchers are assessing the potential of bexmarilimab when used to treat myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a blood-borne cancer; specifically in a group that has failed to respond to hypomethylating agents (HMAs).
The latest update revealed that four out of the initial five phase I patients were still alive after eight months of follow-up, a survival benefit that stands out compared to current treatments. People with relapsed or refractory high-risk MDS faced a median overall survival of less than six months.
With the addition of three more patients to the phase I segment, the overall response rate is 87.5%, with seven out of eight patients showing positive responses to the treatment combination of bexmarilimab and azacitidine.
"These data are really remarkable and confirm our belief that we may finally have a treatment for this underserved patient population," said Jalkanen.
"The data are strongly supportive that a registrational trial would be positive against any contemporary comparator when the final endpoint is survival. We eagerly await completion of the phase II part of the BEXMAB study so we can take these data to the FDA as soon as possible."
Faron will host a virtual webinar on Tuesday to discuss these promising results further, as the BEXMAB trial progresses into phase II for this challenging patient demographic.